The hottest weather of the year couldn’t dampen the spirits of those attending Bulbrite’s 40th anniversary celebration on July 22 at the company’s headquarters in Moonachie, NJ. The company honored around 100 customers, vendors and reps with a day of touring, training and toasting, all centered around the message “40 years… because of you.”

Bulbrite President Cathy Choi says the hot weather brought back fond memories for the company’s founders, Andrew and Barbara Choi (pictured, with daughters Cathy, second from right, and Dorothy, far left).

“The record-setting heat made having an outdoor event quite challenging, but it meant a lot to us because my mom and dad started this company 40 years ago on another really hot day in July,” she says.

The day started with a tour of Bulbrite’s headquarters, which the company moved to in 1999. Choi says this gave attendees a behind-the-scenes look at how the company functions.

“One of the things that’s unique about us is our values and great level of service, even though we still have a relatively small staff,” Choi says. “When you’re on the receiving end, you might not know how the magic happens, but there is a magic to it, and attendees got to see a little bit about how that actually happens.”

The tour was followed by two seminars in Bulbrite’s educational center – one on the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 and the other on how to use social media to grow a business. The group then traveled to the nearby Edison Museum, which had been reserved for a private tour.

The group then returned to Bulbrite’s headquarters for an outdoor reception, which included a visit from the town’s mayor, who give an official proclamation in honor of the company’s anniversary and also delivered a surprise message from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, as well as a commemorative ceremony.

“We did a special lighting ceremony where we had our 40th anniversary logo lit with LED C9s, and we called up each customer, rep and vendor to thank them, and each of them got to screw in a light bulb, like a candle-lighting ceremony,” Choi says. “It was a great way to honor and celebrate everyone who makes the company run.”